Railway and other ticket.



PATENTED JAN. '7, 1908.

J. S. ALEXANDER.

RAILWAY AND OTHER TICKET.

APPLICATION FILED SEPTA, 1903.

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2 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908.

l Ill 5" J. S. ALEXANDER. RAILWAY AND OTHER TICKET.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4, 1903.

JOHN S. ALEXANDER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RAILWAY AND OTHER TICKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. '7, 1908.

Application filed Septembert. 1903. Serial No. 171.942.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, JOHN S. ALEXANDER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York city, New York, have invented certainImprovements in Railway and other Tickets, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, convenient and safeuniversal ticket, which maybe used over any transportation lineirrespective of the rate ot' mileage fare charged thereby, the tickethaving ample means 'for preventing it from being used suc-A cessfully byany one other than the person to whom it is issued, and being otherwisedesigned so as to overcome the objections, heretofore existing, to themileage tickets issued by individual railroads or transportation systemsand good only on such roads or systems.

In 'the accompanying drawings Figure 1, is a view of a railroad ticketin accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, is a view of a book ofvalidating stamps intended to be used in connection with such ticket.Fig. 3, is a view of a ticket intended to be used upon a number ofconnecting lines`upon each of which a special ticket is needed; Fig. 4,is a rear view of the ticket shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 5, is a viewillustrating a modification ol my invention.

The ticket 'forming the subject of my invention, being intended 'forgeneral use, has a blank space for the reception of the name of the roador other transportation line on which the ticket is to be used, alsospaces vt'or receiving the names of the stations, ports, or other tripterminals between which the ticket is to be used, a space for indicatingthe distance between the terminal points of the trip, a space forreceiving the signature or other identifying niark, and, if desired,also,

'the address of the user of the ticket, a space for a registry number orother mark, and a space for receiving certain validating stampsrepresenting the distance covered by the trip for which thel ticket isto be used, these stamps being also provided with spaces for receiving asignature or other identifying mark peculiar to the user of the ticket.The distance may be expressed in any standard unit of measurement, or itmay be expressed by an arbitrary term, for instance zone,

which may be of varying length according to circumstances.

The validating stamps are of different denominations, as indicated bythe matter thereon, which may be engraved, written, stamped, embossed,punctured, or otherwise produced, or may be a composite of thesediilerent methods of production, the stamps being preferably providedwith adhesive material on the back so that they can be readily affixedAto the ticket in the space provided for the purpose.

The validating stamps may be issued by any railway, tra'llic associationor special company under agreement with the transportation linesaccepting them `for redemption on presentation, and the stamps may beconveniently sold in books, such as shown in Fig. 2, each bookcontaining any convenient number of stamps of different denominationswhich, for purpose of ready distinction one from another, may bedifferently colored or otherwise provided with some permanentdistinguishing mark.

For convenience, and to lessen the number of stamps which would beotherwise required, the use olE a Zone system is preferable, each Zonerepresenting a predetermined distance, say, for instance, two-and-a-halfmiles, and each group of stamps forming a single series or leaf ot' thebook has a space for the reception of the signature or other identifyingmark of the purchaser, this spacev extending from end to end ol thegroup, as shown in Fig. 2, so that some portion ofthe identifying niarkwill appear upon each stamp of the group, or each stamp ol the group, ildesired, may bear a complete signature or other identifying mark, asshown for instance in Fig. 5.

The stamps ol each group may be numbered or lettered consecutively orhave other marks indicating proper sequence, and in presenting theticket to the conductor or other ticket collector the passenger may alsoY be required to present his stamp book in order that the numbers orother sequence marks upon the stamps remaining m the book can becompared with the numbers or other sequence marks upon the stamps af-'fixed vto the ticket, and in order, further, that comparison of thesignature or other identifying mark on the ticket may be made with thatupon the stamps, additional security against impersonation being alsoprovided, if desired, by requiring the passenger to sign his name uponthe blank reverse side of the ticket as a means of identiiication.

1n the drawing each group ofstamps shown is lettered consecutively.

A ticket such as that constituting my invention is good on any railwayor other transportation line covered by the association or otherorganization issuing the ticket, irrespective of the mileage ratecharged by the particular road or company upon which the ticket is beingused. For instance, if the validating stamps were charged. Jfor at therate of five cents per Zone and the mileage rate upon the road, or othertransportation route upon which the ticket was being used, was two centsa mile, each Zone stamp would represent two-and-a-hali miles of travel,while, if the mileage rate was two-anda half cents per mile, each Zonestamp would represent two miles of travel and so` on.

Each traveler can make up his own ticket before going to the station,thereby saving the time usually expended in buying the ticket andlessening the number of ticket sellers necessary at large stations, and,as the passengers destination is designated by the ticket, the gate manhas the same supervision as he would have oi a special single ticket,thus overcoming an objection to ordinary mileage books and preventingadmission o'f a passenger to a station platform other than that at whichhis proper train is located. This renders unnecessary the plan which hassometimes been adopted of exchanging mileage strips for a special ticketat the ticket office, and as the ticket is absolutely non-transferable,because valueless save in the hands of the proper holder, all rebates ordeposits to be returned in case there is no improper use oi mileagestrips are rendered unnecessary.

The validating stamps and skeleton tickets may be sold either by thecompanies belonging to the' association or by an organization at unionagencies, and settlement may be made daily through a clearing house,thus dispensing with the heavy correspondence and clerical labornecessary to effect settlements with individual companies, for it iswell known that under the present practice a conductor or other tickettaker often collects on a single trip, or even in a single car, couponsfrom a dozen or more different issues of tickets, each requiringseparate treatment in the auditors oiiice.

Each road adopting the improved ticket can furnish a table of distancesin Zones, either embodied in the usual folder or in separate form, andin compiling this table each road can arbitrarily fix the rate of itsown zone, the distance in each case being that for which a passenger iscarried for the crnes amount paid for each zone stamp, and specialportions or sections of a line, for which a special rate is charged, mayhave an arbitraty Zone value not determined by the length of saidsection, for instance, a bridge, a ferry, a section of road for which aheavy trackage fee or rental is paid, or any section of line run underspecial conditions, may have a Zone value much greater than otherportions of the line. -Thus if each Zone stamp represents adistance oftwo miles, a bridge or ferry only one mile in extent might have anarbitrary value of five Zones, or the distance between two stations tenmiles apart served by competing lines might count as one Zone, whilebeyond said stations in either direction a Zone would represent only twomiles.

Once put in lforce a Zone table needs no attention until, for somereason, anew one is compiled, although the Zone tables may be revised asoften as the timetables, to suit the wishes of the management andwithout coniiicting with the system or requiring any change in thestamps or skeleton tickets. Special Zone tables may be compiled forexpress trains, giving only express stations, so that it may appear incondensed form on express train time tables. The stamps can also be usedAfor paying Pullman car fare, trolley car fare, steam-boat passage,stage fare, or, in fact, can be adapted to any means ot transportationwithin the regulations of the company, association or other organizationissuing the stamps.

All Zone stamps can be redeemed at face value, less a commission forservice, by the company or association issuing the stamps onpresentation by the transportation lines accepting tickets validated bysuch stamps, and if the stamps are issued by a special company organizedfor the purpose those collected each day can be sent for redemption inthe same manner as bank drafts' or checks, settlement becoming thus asimple matter of banking instead of ticket auditing.

Excess baggage can be paid for by issuing a ticket for the requiredamount and afiixing thereto Zone stamps representing a sum equal to thecharge for such excess baggage,

-thus obviating the necessity for the special excess baggage booksissued by some lines.

The skeleton tickets are preferably provided with stubs, as shown inFig. l, and perforated so that the ticket can be readily detached fromthe stub, thereby providing for` keeping a stub record of each ticketused.

That there is a demand for a system which will satisfactorily cover thepoints above noted is shown by the many expedients that have beenadopted in the effort to solve the problem. Nearly every methodnowemployed, lhowever, fails to meet the demands of the situation in one ormore respects, for instance, the plan most generally used and known asthe thousand mile rebate ticket, which compels the purchaser to deposita certain amount above the cost oi the ticket as a guarantee of goodfaith in making the purchase, such amount to be returned when themileage strips have all been used, is an onerous tax upon the purchaserand the rebates are often disputed, causing more or less controversy.rlhe plan which requires the holder to exchange his mileage strips loran ordinary ticket before boarding the train destroys one of thegreatest advantages ol5 the general idea involved in a mileage ticket,that is to say, the ability to immediately get aboard the train withoutthe necessity ol stopping to purchase a ticket er without regard to thelocal ticket agent.

As the passenge1"s destination must be indicated upon the ticket beterehe passes the gate-man the passenger cannot board an express trainmaking few stops and then tender mileage strips 'for a station a shortdistance 'fromv the starting point with the eX- cuse that he was notadvised that the train did not stop at such station, thus overcoming aserious abuse to which ordinary mileage hooks are subjected.l1`urthermore, my improved ticlet, with its validating stamps, does notprovide the same opportunity as an ordinary mileage book for dishonestyon the part of the conductor, who may turn in parts et mileage stripsfor cash fares.

For use in making trips over routes covered by a number ol connectinglines each requiring its own ticket I provide a multiple ticket such asshown in Figs. 3 and 4, said ticket having as many subdivisions asdesired each with detachable coupon, to which the validating stamps areattached, thus the ticket shown in Fig. 3 has had three ol itssubdivisions Vfilled up for a trip between terminals requiring the useof three dill'erent lines, the vtirst covering two zones, the secondcovering one Zone and the third covering two zones, the removal of thecoupon carrying the validating stamps trom the 'lirst subdivision ot theticket showing that that stage ol' the r l i i i l l l l journey hasbeen paid ter while the others have not. The signature or otheridentifying mark is applied to the back ol this ticket as shown in hie'.4. By the use of a multiple ticket of this character', independent orseparate tickets lor cach stage oi a ljourney are rendered unnecessary,and a given number ol ticket l'orms will cover a correspondinglyincreased period of use. rlhe same form olE ticket can also be used withadvantage it'or trips back and forth between stations on the same line,one subdivision being su'l'lcient for each trip.

W'hilc I have shown and described my invention as embodying the use ofadhesive stamps to be applied to a ticket, certain features ol' myinvention are also applicable to coupons intended to be torn -from abook or other group or collection of the same, and in this connection Iregard the coupon as the equivalent of the stamp, and intend it to beincluded within the scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and. desire to secure byLetters Patent:-

1. A passage ticket having sub-divisions, each having marked upon it thedistance for which it is intended to serve as fare, each subdivisionhaving a coupon bearing a stamp or stamps marked 'for a like distance.

2. A passage ticket having sub-divisions, each having marked upon it thedistance for which it is intended to serve as fare, each sub-divisionhaving a coupon bearing a stamp or stamps marked for. a like distance,said ticket having an identifying mark peculiar to the user oi the same,and the stamp or stamps upon each sub-division of the ticket alsobearing an identifying mark.

vIn testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this speci'lication, inthe presence et' two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN S. ALEXANDER.

Vitnesses:

WARREN L. SAWYER, Iluou J. G. CLINE.

